Cutlery construction



Jul le 28,

1949. J. G. JACKSON CUTLERY CONSTRUCTION Filed July 25, 1945 Jase a'dqcxsazv INVE TOR.

ATT.

Patented June 28, 1949 CUTLER/Y CONSTRUCTION Joseph G. Jackson, Chicago, 111., assignor to EI'KCO Products Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application July 25, 1945, Serial No. 606,952

4 Claims.

This invention relates to articles of cutlery and particularly cutlery of the type in which the handle member is longitudinally divided at one end to provide a space for the admission of a tang of length shorter than the handle and of a width coextensive with the width of the handle, so that the longitudinal edges of the tang and the outer surfaces of the handle at either side of the tang form a smooth continuous surface, such as in half-tang knife constructions.

In order to reinforce the junction between the body of the blade and the forward end of the handle, it is desirable to attach a bolster or ferrule to the handle which preferably merges with the external contour of the handle extending rearwardly therefrom. In the usual form of handle having parallel or somewhat rearwardly diverging side faces perpendicular to the plane of the blade secured thereto, it is accordingly necessary to use a pre-formed ferrule or bolster of a size greater than the cross-sectional dimension of the handle portion extending rearwardly therefrom, or to cast or mold the bolster from suitable metal alloys after the handle and tang are assembled. However a bolster or ferrule composed of alloy metal suitable for casting or molding purposes becomes tarnished and darkened after a period of service and therefore produces an undesirable contrast With the polished finish and color of the knife blade and tang.

Hence it is an object of this invention to provide means in conjunction with a knife including a preformed bolster and a handle having the forward portion divided by a slot extending short of the rear of the handle, whereby the bolster may merge with the external surface of the handle extending rearwardly therefrom and the space between the outer surfaces of the handle intersected by the slot appears to be occupied by a tang of sufficient dimension to have its longitudinal edges flush with said outer surfaces of the handle, and at the same time afford a bolster of a material adapted to maintain a finish and color matching that of the blade and knife tang.

With the above and other objects in View, as will be apparent, this invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts, all as hereinafter more fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a knife embodying the construction and assembly of an article in accordance with this invention.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, to show details of assembly.

Reference being had more particularly to the drawing, l0 represents the article of cutlery, shown in the form of a knife blade, having a suitable shape and size and being formed from any adaptable material, such as stainless steel. One end of the blade if! is provided with an integral tang ll,

Reference numeral [2 designates a handle composed of any adaptable material, such as wood, and having a shape and size consistent with providing a handle of greater length and greater width than the tang measured in the plane of the blade and tang. As shown, the forward end of the handle i2 is shouldered as at M and split longitudinally through said forward end by means of a slot for receiving said tang and terminating short of the butt end of the handle to provide an internal abutment or shoulder it somewhat rearwardly beyond the rear limits of the tan when the latter is operatively positioned therein.

Arranged between and engaging the rear edge of the tang H and the abutment I6 is the transverse portion ll of a flat U-shaped metal insert adapted to be fitted in the handle slot. Arms l8 spaced lengthwise of and extending forwardly from said transverse portion I! have external edges conforming to the contour of the handle surfaces intersected by said slot in the handle throughout the length of the slot exposed in the final assembly of the cutlery article contemplated herein so that the exposed edges of the metal insert and the surfaces of the handle will be flush. The material of the metal insert is preferably the same as that of the blade in the final product so as to give the appearance of being formed integrally with the blade. It will be observed that the arms [8 of the metal insert have internal edges adapted to have peripheral mating engagement with the longitudinal edges of the tang II when the shoulder at the inner limits of the blade H! at its junction with the tang l l is in abutment with the forward edge of the arms [8 of the metal insert. Accordingly, rivets 2B or other suitable fastening means piercing the handle l2 and tang l I to hold the same in rigid assembly, will act at the edges of the tang to lock the metal insert against accidental withdrawal from, the slot in the handle. The forward edges of the metal insert are also preferably flush with the forward limits of the handle I'2 so as to be concealed by a ferrule IS in which the shouldered portion 14 is confined and through which the tang II is adapted to be passed for positioning the tang in said slot. The ferrule l9, like the metal insert, is preferably made of a material corresponding to that of the blade, with the edges of which the ferrule merges as at 2| and 22.

It will be readily seen that the construction shown and described provides an article of cutlery in which the blade, bolster and tang appear as being formed of one piece, even after long period of service, and yet affords an article of this class in which the bolster forms a smooth juncture with the portion of the handle extending rearwardly therefrom, and the tang appears to conform to the contour of the handle surfaces throughout the exposed portion thereof.

The form of the invention illustrated in the drawing and described herein is typical and illustrative only, and it is evident that the invention is capable of embodiments in other forms, all falling within the scope of the appended claims which are to be broadly construed.

What is claimed is:

1. In an article of cutlery, a handle having one end thereof split longitudinally by a slot terminating short of the other end and exposed at opposite longitudinal sides of the handle, a ferrule covering the outermost portion of the split end of said handle and a portion of the slot exposed at opposite longitudinal sides of the handle adjacent said outermost portion, a blade having a tang passed through said ferrule and positioned in said slot with its edges spaced short of the rearward limits of the slot and the longitudinal side surfaces of the handle defining exposed portions of the slot, a U-shaped metal insert positioned in said slot in abutment with the rearward limits of the slot and covered at the forward limits of said slots by said ferrule and so constructed and arranged between said ferrule and said rear limits of the slot as to present an external edge surface flush with said side surfaces of the handle defining exposed portions of the slot and internal edges with which said edges of the tang have peripheral mating engagement, and means piercing the tang and portions of the handle on opposite sides of the tang in rearwardly spaced relation to said ferrule operative to maintain the tang and handle in rigid assembly.

2. In an article of cutlery, as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe ferrule merges with the surface of the handle extending rearwardly therefrom.

3. In an article of cutlery, as claimed in claim 1, wherein the blade, the ferrule and the metal insert are of metallic material having similar color characteristics.

4. In an article of cutlery, as claimed'in claim 1, wherein the back of the blade merges With the surface of the ferrule and the handle extending rearwardly therefrom.

JOSEPH G. JACKSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenices are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 68,307 Neif Aug. 27, 1867 '79,061 Fisher June 23, 1868 

